After four decades, GIE+EXPO will become Equip Exposition! Join us in Louisville, Kentucky from October 18-21, 2022 to kickoff a new chapter of our industry’s largest event.
Omni Grove Park Inn Asheville, North Carolina 70 th Annual Meeting June 20-22, 2023
Grove Park Inn Golf Course
A Condé Nast Traveler Top Course
Golfers of all skill levels are welcome at the OPEI Louisville Golf Classic scramble. Get outside with old friends and connect with new ones on this historic Donald Ross-designed course.
Welcome to Asheville
On behalf of the staff of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, I’d like to welcome you to the mountains of North Carolina and the historic Omni Grove Park Inn as we celebrate our 70 th Annual Meeting and golf scramble. We have a great program planned, with a slate of award-winning speakers and am- ple time for networking as we celebrate 70 years of connecting the industry.
In the past year, OPEI has relaunched its trade show experience as Equip Exposition, bringing together more than 25,000 people for the largest – and first- ever sold-out – show in Expo history. Our staff is hard at work for the 2023 event, where the industry will celebrate the show’s 40 th anniversary. Our TurfMutt Foundation has also returned to broadcast television with CBS education programming “Lucky Dog” and “Mission: Unstoppable,” which promote the living landscape and women in STEM careers. Both were on-site in Louisville this fall filming at Expo. You’ll hear more about Expo and TurfMutt this week in Asheville, as well as industry updates from our staff. We’ve also assembled a slate of keynote speakers to address practical topics of leadership, the economy, and business trends. This week you’ll hear from: • Economist Alan Beaulieu – “Gauging the Risks Going Forward 2023 – 2024” • Ford Motor Co. Chief Futurist Sheryl Connelly – “Confessions of a Corporate Futurist: Coming Trends That Will Revolutionize Your Business” • Pulitzer Prize-winning Author and Presidential Historian Jon Meacham – “The Art of Leadership: Lessons From the American Presidency” After our educational sessions, I hope you’ll join us on a tour of the Biltmore Estate, or for the annual OPEI Louisville Golf Classic best ball scramble. This year, golfers of all skill levels are welcome at the historic Grove Park Inn Golf Course, designed by Donald Ross in 1926.
All the best,
Kris Kiser President and CEO OPEI, Equip Exposition, and the TurfMutt Foundation
Schedule of Events
Annual Meeting Premier Sponsor
Tuesday, June 20 th Annual Meeting Registration................. 2:30-5:00 PM OPEI Executive Committee Meeting... 4:00-6:00 PM Annual Meeting Welcome Reception.. 6:00-8:00 PM Wednesday, June 21 st Breakfast................................................. 7:00-8:00 AM Welcome and Remarks......................... 8:00-8:20 AM Introductions......................................... 8:20-8:40 AM Keynote: Alan Beaulieu..........................8:40-9:45 AM OPEI Market Intel.....................................9:45-10:15 AM Break ...................................................... 10:15-10:30 AM Equipment Bans Post-California......... 10:30-11:00 AM TurfMutt and Equip Expo...................... 11:00-11:30 AM Closing Remarks ..............................11:30 AM-12:00 PM OTHER ACTIVITIES Spouse Breakfast & Candle Making Class (Advance Registration)......................... 8:00-11:30 AM OPEI Louisville Golf Classic (Advance Registration) .................................. 1:00 PM Asheville Microbrewery Tour/Tasting & Lunch (Advance Registration).........................12:00-5:00 PM
Thursday, June 22 nd Breakfast Buffet..................................... 7:00-8:00 AM Welcome Remarks.................................. 8:00-8:15 AM Keynote: Jon Meacham.......................... 8:15-9:30 AM Break ........................................................9:30-9:45 AM Electric OPE Beyond 2024......................9:45-10:15 AM Keynote: Sheryl Connelly......................10:15-11:45 AM Closing Remarks ............................. 11:45 AM-12:00 PM OPEI Board of Directors Meeting ....... 12:00-5:00 PM OTHER ACTIVITIES Biltmore Estate Tour & Lunch (Advance Registration).......................... 12:00-5:15 PM Closing Reception and Dinner ........... 6:00-10:00 PM
Annual Meeting Premier Sponsor
Photo courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com.
Meeting Program
Business Session Wi-Fi Sponsored by:
Wednesday, June 21 st 8:00-8:20 — Welcome and Remarks Brian Melka, Chair, OPEI Board of Directors
Thursday, June 22 nd 8:00-8:15 — Welcome and Remarks Kris Kiser, OPEI President
8:20-8:40 — Introductions Kris Kiser, OPEI President
8:15-9:30 — The Art of Leadership: Lessons from the American Presidency Jon Meacham, Presidential Historian, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author
8:40-9:45 — Gauging the Risks Going Forward: 2023-2024 Alan Beaulieu, President, ITR Economics
SPONSORED BY:
SPONSORED BY:
An accurate, straightforward economist, Alan Beaulieu has been delivering award-winning workshops
Jon Meacham is one of America’s most prominent public intellectuals. A contributor to TIME and The New York Times Book Review, Meacham regularly appears on MSNBC, CNN, and other news outlets. A skilled orator with a depth of knowledge about politics, religion, and current affairs, Meacham has the unique ability to bring history to life and offer historical context to current events and issues impacting our daily lives. Named a “Global Leader for Tomorrow” by the World Economic Forum, he is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a fellow of the Society of American Historians. Meacham is a distinguished visiting professor at Vanderbilt University where he holds the Rogers Chair in the American Presidency. His latest book, And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle, was published in 2022. #1 New York Times bestseller, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power was hailed as “masterful and intimate” by Fortune magazine. Meacham’s other national bestsellers include Franklin and Winston, American Gospel, and American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2009.
and economic analysis seminars in countries across the world to thousands of business owners and executives for the last 30 years.
9:45-10:15 — OPEI Market Intel: Expanding Detail and Forecasting Dan Mustico, Senior Vice President, Government and Market Affairs
Sponsored by:
10:15-10:30 — Break
10:30-11:00 — Equipment Restrictions Post-California: Association Engagement and Opportunities
Greg Knott, Senior Vice President, Standards and Regulatory Affairs
11:00-11:30 — TurfMutt Foundation: New Directions and Equip Exposition 40th Anniversary Kris Kiser, OPEI President
9:30-9:45 — Break
Sponsored by:
11:30-Noon — Closing Remarks Kris Kiser, OPEI President
9:45 -10:15 — Electric OPE Beyond 2024 Brandon Martin, Vice President, Battery and Electric Products & Industry Affairs
10:15-11:45 — Confessions of a Corporate Futurist: Coming Trends That Will Revolutionize Your Business Sheryl Connelly, Chief Futurist, Ford Motor Company
SPONSORED BY:
Sheryl Connelly has served as Ford’s corporate futurist for over
fifteen years, where she works to identify global trends, explore potential implications, and cascade future insights to organizations throughout the company, including design, product development, and corporate strategy. Forbes Magazine recently recognized her as one of the Most Influential Women in Futuring; Fast Company has identified her as one of the Most Creative People in Business; and TechWeek has included her in its Top 100.
11:45-Noon — Closing Remarks Kris Kiser, OPEI President
Used with permission from The Biltmore Company, Asheville, North Carolina.
Photo courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com.
Photo courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com.
Social Functions and Tours
Tuesday, June 20 th Welcome Reception Skyline Mountain View Terrace 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
some of Asheville’s best microbreweries. Learn the art of beer brewing from local brew-masters. Each of the Asheville microbreweries on this tour has a distinct style to their brewing. You will get the behind-the-scenes access and gain a better understanding of the process that leads to the final product.
Join us as we open the Annual Meeting set against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We’ll have time to connect with old friends and meet new ones as we sample creations from the Grove Park Inn’s award-winning culinary team. Attire: Resort Casual Wednesday, June 21 st Spouse Breakfast/Candle Making Class 8:00 – 11:30 a.m. Cost: $95 – Reservation Required Breakfast – 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. – The class starts at 9:00 a.m. This morning begins with a lovely breakfast and conversation with friends. A local Asheville chandler (professional candle maker) will be on hand to teach you the art of candle making, guiding you through the process to create a one-of-a-kind candle with luxury oils. Please note, the candles will need to rest overnight before guests can take them. Arrangements will be made to ensure each participant gets their candle. OPEI Louisville Golf Classic 1:00 p.m. Grove Park Inn Golf Course Reservation Required Transportation will be available starting at 11:45 a.m., from the Vanderbilt Wing Atrium Lobby of the hotel and continue looping, to transport golfers to the course for a 1:00 p.m. start. The OPEI Louisville Golf Classic Scramble, sponsored by Louisville Tourism, is a wonderful networking opportunity, and always a great afternoon for golfers of all skill levels. Originally designed by Donald Ross in 1926, this historic course was overhauled in 2001 to preserve its original integrity and vision. It has earned accolades from Condé Nast Traveler and North Carolina Golf Panel as a top course. Green/Cart fees, a boxed lunch, and beverages are included. Attire: Golf SPONSORED BY:
Thursday, June 22 nd Biltmore Estate Tour and Lunch 12:00 – 5:15 p.m. Cost: $205 – Reservation Required
Transportation must depart promptly by 12:15 p.m., due to reservations for lunch and tour. Transportation will depart from the Vanderbilt Wing Atrium Lobby of the hotel. An experience like no other awaits as the ride begins to America’s largest home – The Biltmore Estate. While en route, our guide will provide you with an informative and entertaining background about the history of Asheville, and the impact George Vanderbilt and his Biltmore Estate had on the region. A self-guided tour of the Biltmore House’s 60 rooms and Estate Gardens allows you to take in the history, opulence, and priceless furnishings that have been meticulously preserved by descendants of George Vanderbilt. After exiting the Biltmore House, you can choose between walking through the Biltmore Estate Gardens or shop in the Stable Arcade, adjacent to the house. The last stop on the grounds, will be a self-guided tour of the Biltmore’s Antler Hill Village & Winery. This area is a development including exhibition space, village green with live entertainment and dining, along with shopping and an outdoor adventure center. The Winery Historic Barn is the nation’s most-visited winery and is housed in the Biltmore’s original dairy, which has been renovated into a modern facility, producing award-winning wines. Lunch at one of the estate’s on-site restaurants is included. Closing Reception & Dinner – The Pavilion 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. SPONSORED BY:
Our farewell event is hosted in the Seely Pavilion, a new addition to the hotel. The design
showcases the natural beauty and lush scenery of the property and offers stunning views of the mountains, golf course with a rustic ambiance. You will be entertained and enjoy the best of Asheville: from a licensed Falconer greeting you with some of his feathered friends, to some interactive magic, to a live glass blowing demonstration. Enjoy the music of Gypsy Grass and try your hand at some fun lawn games. Attire: Resort Casual
Asheville Microbrewery Tour/Tasting and Lunch 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. Cost: $ 205 – Reservation Required
Transportation must depart promptly by 12:15 p.m., due to scheduled stops at breweries and lunch. Transportation will depart from the Vanderbilt Wing Atrium Lobby of the hotel. All aboard for a fun afternoon of tastings, lunch, and touring
THANK YOU TO OUR OPEI ANNUAL MEETING SPONSORS
PREMIERE MEETING SPONSOR
KEYNOTE SPONSORS
THANK YOU TO OUR OPEI ANNUAL MEETING SPONSORS
OPEI LOUISVILLE GOLF CLASSIC SPONSOR
WEDNESDAY MORNING BREAKFAST SPONSOR
THURSDAY MORNING BREAKFAST SPONSOR
THANK YOU TO OUR OPEI ANNUAL MEETING SPONSORS
CLOSING DINNER SPONSOR
BUSINESS WI-FI SPONSOR
THANK YOU TO OUR OPEI ANNUAL MEETING SPONSORS
WELCOME AMENITY SPONSOR
REGISTRATION GIFT SPONSOR
THURSDAY BUSINESS BREAK
WEDNESDAY BUSINESS BREAK
Used with permission from The Biltmore Company, Asheville, North Carolina.
SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR 2024 OPEI ANNUAL MEETING
June 24-26, 2024
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
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